But Melbourne Zoo has embarked on an ambitious five million dollar redevelopment of its predator precinct and rather than mow the old girl down she's being shifted 50 metres to make way for a whole new enclosure.

They're trying a new method this time though.

Instead of lifting the tree with a crane, it's been jacked up from below with a series of inflatable sausage-like bladders and pulled along by earthmoving equipment.

It's slow going and the team is ready for any eventuality as even one a single gust of wind or a small miscalculation with the movers could see the 120 tonne specimen topple over.

More than 20 hard-hatted, hi-vised people monitor every angle of the move which appears to be going at a snail's pace.

Richard Rowe is the Operations Manager at Melbourne Zoo and says that while it's a complex process to move the fig tree, it's worth it for the final result.

"It's our new [enclosure for] lions, wild dogs, Philippines crocodiles and a new learning centre for our visitors and it's to allow us to keep animals in a way that's much more in line with community expectations and allow us to provide better welfare for them."